The present invention relates generally to fasteners, and more specifically such fasteners used in attaching automotive fascia panels or trim strips to a portion of an automotive body.
Automotive vehicles frequently have one or more trim strips, fascia panels or other such decorative attachment members secured to portions of the vehicle body. Such attachment members have been secured to vehicle bodies in a wide variety of different ways, including by way of male fasteners secured to the underside of the attachment member and being received in an opening in the vehicle body. Such attachment fasteners have generally performed reasonably well in the past, but have often been disadvantageous in terms of high cost or the lack of sufficient flexibility to allow the attachment members to tightly conform to irregular vehicle body surface shapes. Such previous fasteners have often proved troublesome by allowing air to be entrapped between a portion of the fastener and the attachment member, thus in turn weakening the securement of the attachment member to the vehicle body.
Accordingly, the present invention seeks to provide an automotive trim or panel fastener that is simple and inexpensive both to produce and to secure to the trim strip, fascia panel or other attachment member, that is thin and flexible enough to conform itself to the underside of the attachment member and to thus allow the attachment member to conform itself to irregular vehicle body shapes, and that provides for a secure attachment to the trim strip, fascia panel or other such attachment member.
According to the present invention, a fastener for securing an attachment member to the surface of a base member includes an elongated generally trumpet-shaped pin portion and a flange portion, with the flange portion being flared laterally outwardly from one end of the trumpet-shaped pin portion. The flange and pin portions have hollow interiors that are in communication with one another, with the hollow interior of the flange portion being open in a longitudinal direction away from the pin portion, and with the hollow interior of the pin portion being open at the opposite end of the pin portion. The flanged portion is adapted to be secured to the attachment member, such as by being integrally molding it to the attachment member, or by way of an ultrasonic welding securement. Preferably, a number of discrete protuberances, such as laterally outwardly-extending ribs, are formed on the outer side of the flange portion, opposite that of the the pin portion. Such discrete ribs or ridges frictionally engage the attachment member during ultrasonic welding in order to concentrate the heat generated thereby, thus melting the ridges and/or the areas around them and thereby forming a more secure attachment. The open hollow interiors of the flange portion and the pin portion allow air to escape from between the flange portion and the attachment member during either ultrasonic welding or during integrally molding the flange portion into the attachment member, thus ensuring a secure attachment.
Additional objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.